New hourly rate proposed for Jersey carers

Jersey ministers could introduce a standard hourly rate for staff who provide care for people in their homes.

The Domiciliary Care Market Review – Ministerial Action Plan found Jersey's government was paying providers different rates for the same care.

It said also there was a "significant increase" in the number and proportion of older adults that required long-term care in future decades, along with "many other countries".

Ministers are proposing a standard hourly rate of £34.80 from January.

The report said: "To support people with long-term care needs to remain living at home in their own community, Jersey requires a robust and sustainable domiciliary care market and a long-term care scheme that provides fair financial support to people living in care homes and people who receive that care in their own home."

It said based on data from early/mid 2024, about 37,000 hours of domiciliary care was provided per month at a cost of about £1.2m a month - £14.5m a year.

The report found current rates ranged between £28 per hour to £37.70 per hour.

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